Heavenly Peace
by LittlePageAndBird
Summary: "Her name was River Song. They were together for a while, and they were very happy." The Doctor and River celebrate their first anniversary on Darillium.


"I can't believe I married you."

The Doctor glanced up from where he lay sprawled more across his wife than the sofa, brow furrowed in concentration as he placed another Jelly Baby carefully on her swollen stomach. "We have a new record!" he declared gleefully. "Eight!"

"Seven."

"What?"

River plucked a red Jelly Baby from its station just above her belly button and popped it in her mouth. The Doctor scowled. "Spoilsport."

He ate three off her belly in one go, kissing away the little floury dot each one had left and making her giggle.

With the last kiss a flurry of soft kicks answered him, and he smiled triumphantly. "Hallo, little Song. Good of you to join us." The Doctor flopped onto his back, head in River's lap. "How's life? Well. Pre-life. A little boring, I'd expect. Bet you wish you had some board games in there. Did I ever tell you about the time I beat Joan of Arc at Scrabble? Long story."

River snorted, massaging her fingers into his scalp. "I smashed Teddy Roosevelt at Monopoly once. And Albert was rubbish at Trivial Pursuit."

"Albert?"

"Einstein."

"Told you your mum was cool," he murmured into her bump, becoming lost in tracing little circles along her skin – Gallifreyan, she realised, leaning her head back against the sofa and closing her eyes in concentration. She felt "love" looped very carefully across her stomach, punctuated with feathery kisses.

"Ooh." She sniffed the air. "What's cooking?"

"Surprise." He grinned. "Anniversary special."

"It's fish fingers, isn't it?"

"You love fish fingers."

"I do. Damn cravings." She threaded her fingers through his hair, smoothing her free hand over her stomach. "It's been quite a first year, hasn't it?"

"Eventful." He quirked his eyebrows, and she smirked.

"Hmm. I only wish I'd popped a bit sooner. Then we could have done all the things we used to do on our anniversaries before moons started orbiting me."

He bit back a smile. "She'll be here soon. Any day now."

"Maybe it'll be today. Save me buying you a present."

The Doctor scrambled up on his elbows. "Today? Why do you say that? Did you feel something?"

"It was hypothetical, darling. Put your eyes back in your head."

He lay back down, popping another Jelly Baby in his mouth sulkily. "Want to go dancing later?"

"You can dance. I'll waddle."

"You can dance on my feet."

"Not if you want to keep your toes, I can't. We can go dancing on our next anniversary, when I'm not preoccupied growing people."

He grinned up at her impishly. "Who's to say you won't be growing people next year too?"

River raised an eyebrow. "No."

"We could have one a year."

"We? As I recall, darling, I've done most of the heavy lifting. Your job ended at the fun part."

"If I ever regenerate into someone with a womb, I promise I'll return the favour. We'll get this one safely into the universe first though." He left a path of kisses along the bump. He'd barely left it alone since it had appeared, that morning when he'd caught his wife in the bathroom cupping the tiny three-month old swell, staring at her own reflection like it was the most astounding thing she'd ever seen. "Show her the stars. Take her to the Towers for a picnic. Tell her stories about the Ginge and the Roman."

She hummed, feeling her hearts flit. "I think I'll miss having her in here. Even though it looks like I've swallowed a small planet. And I've forgotten what my feet look like." She rubbed her stomach pensively. "It's weird, to think that she's a whole person in there now. With fingers and toes and eyelashes."

"Maybe little curls."

"Maybe." She laughed. "Probably." She circled her belly button with her finger. "I've liked having her be a part of me. Feeling her grow; her little feet kicking me. There's nothing quite like knowing that your baby's hearts are beating inside of you."

The Doctor smiled softly, swivelling to sit up and tucking his head on her shoulder. "Oh, but the most amazing part is still to come, River. You'll see. In a few days, you'll have her in your arms. Watch her grow. And no doubt cause havoc and endless anxiety for us both."

River snorted. "We should make the most of it while we can. This may well be the only peaceful anniversary we have here."

He chuckled, lifting his head to kiss her temple. "I wouldn't have it any other way, my dear."


End file.
